


That Which Lurks Between Worlds

by RR342



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Gen, Gender-Neutral Chara, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Mage Frisk, Older Frisk, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-10 04:46:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11120208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RR342/pseuds/RR342
Summary: Asriel came to the surface, having absorbed Chara's soul, but he did not find humanity. He found what was left on them. Humans were on the defensive, driven back by a magical force that wasn't monsterkind, leaving room for monsters to claim their place in the sun.Now, Frisk travels to the new monster capital and finds themselves more entangled in the politics of monsters than any mage has cause to be. They must work with a noticeably erratic Monster King Asriel and assist with his many pet projects. The least of which is the extraction of an intact human soul from a monster, the greatest of which is to unravel the worst threat that monsters have ever faced. If they fail, monsters won't be exiled beneath another barrier. They will perish, humanity alongside them.





	1. Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Where relevant, Chara's voice is in italics.

As the first rays of sunlight met his eyes, Asriel felt tears forming even as his pace quickened. The light at the end of this tunnel wasn’t the cold twilight of the barrier but the kiss of the sun, denied to his people for centuries. The sight of the sun, the feel of that warmth on his skin, it was both exactly as he’d had it described to him and so much more. Standing on the ridge, he gazed out over a land vaster than he had ever imagined during his life underground. A land so vast it would surely be able to contain the dreams of more than just one race, even if just one race was all it currently contained.

 _As much fun as it would be to point out how much of a crybaby you_ _’re being, Ree, we have something we need to do_ , came the voice of Chara within Asriel’s mind, an amused edge to it. _We can admire the surface later, together with your parents. Your race._

Chara’s voice brought Asriel back to reality. A very cold reality. One in which the soul of his best and closest friend resided within himself, and their lifeless body cradled in his much too big arms. This chance to see the surface had been bought by the sacrifice of one he loved. He had promised them he would not doubt them, that he would help them. All they needed were six more souls to free the monsters. As awe-inspiring as this sight was, with the afternoon rays of the sun gently drifting over a forest far vaster than that of Snowdin and with great human towers visible in the distance, his people were waiting for him.

The two of them drifted down the slope, levitation magic coming casually to Asriel. As quick a learner as he was when it came to magic, levitation was a skill well outside the domain of boss monsters such as himself. Such casual use of it was proof of the power of a human soul. Even so, that same power needed some time to master. Humans were dangerous, both Chara and monster legends said. He couldn’t fail Chara here. He also needed time to adjust to this soul fusion. What little there had been written of the power of monsters to absorb human souls had left out a rather important detail. The human body may die when the soul left it, but the human lived on in their soul and in the monster that took it. He loved Chara with all he had and had been overjoyed when they had discovered their sacrifice had not been the last he’d hear of their voice but he needed time to adapt to this oddly floaty feeling of residing in his own body alongside them. Of feeling that his control over his own body was through a controller rather than an extension of himself. A controller he shared with Chara, and presumably any other human souls they absorbed.

So they swapped control between themselves as they descended, learning the ins and outs of such a fusion. And the limits. Ultimately, this was Asriel’s body. He knew Chara’s will was stronger. After all, they were only here due to their determination. But it was his body and in any fight between the two of them, he would win. That knowledge had been like a solid steel rod down his back, a confirmation that he could prevent things from getting out of control. The coldness of that steel also seeped into his mind, as fear of what might go out of control and that he not only had the responsibility to stop it but the power. Would he be able to stop them? Should he stop them?

 _Here we are, the town limits_ , Chara said, their voice breaking Asriel out of his thoughts.

They had broken free of the forest, only for an entirely different forest to sprout up in its place, one of human buildings. Tarred roads lined neat rows of houses, many of which were still under construction. Empty timber frames, concrete and brick as far as the eye could see. The sun was beginning the end of its descent according to Chara, and the sunbeams lit up the frames of these unfinished buildings in such a pretty way that Asriel almost didn’t notice the absence of something very important.

Frowning, Asriel said, “If these houses are under construction, where are the builders?”

 _Maybe it_ _’s a holiday? It’s not like I kept track of the human calendar in the underground,_ Chara said.

It was the same story even as they strode deeper into the town. Empty streets and houses all throughout what Chara claimed to be well-populated suburbia. Following their mental map led Asriel towards the town center, where a park filled with golden flowers was. The ostensible excuse for bringing Chara back to the surface, Asriel truly desired to see these flowers and for their best friend’s body to rest somewhere beautiful. Their anticipation of seeing the flowers from Chara’s memories was beginning to be outweighed by the dread growing from the pit of his stomach the further he walked, however.

The main street was a scene of desolation. Where elsewhere the town had merely been eerily empty, it was clear that something had torn through here. Cars were overturned on the road. Store windows shattered. All manner of items, electrical, clothing and otherwise, lay scattered across the road. Faint static and buzzing seemed to permeate the air.

And then there were the bodies. Dozens of them. Clad mostly in blue or a strange mismatch of greens or grays that Chara said was camouflage.

Standing at the intersection between the main street and the park filled with the golden flowers of Chara’s memories, Asriel lay down his best friend’s body. That feeling of dread was welling up in him and it was telling him that he would need every ounce of training his father had given him. Which was far too little now that he thought about it.

 _I_ _… I’ve only been gone a few years,_ Chara said, the echo of their voice within Asriel’s mind more shocked than he could remember it ever being in life. _What could have done this? What about the souls? Where will we get six human souls if everybody is gone?_

The souls were the last thing on Asriel’s mind. If he could have his way they would be running back to Mount Ebott right now. But Chara’s will was like a lock on his control over his body, and he didn’t feel that it was right to push them aside so roughly. Not yet.

The sound of static ceased abruptly, replaced by what sounded faintly like a voice. Before he could even react, Chara’s will snapped his head in the direction of a shop window, focusing in on a particular object. He recognized it from their memories as a more modern version of the televisions monsters had been scavenging from the garbage. He glided towards it, scared to make even the noise his padded feet would on the road. Within the store were countless TVs, many of which still had power and all of which were displaying a bright blue screen with the words ‘Emergency Alert’ displayed on them. The voice could be heard echoing out from the storefront.

“-dents, remain calm and commence evacuation procedures under the guidance of local emergency personnel. Law enforcement personnel and the national guard will be organizing convoys to bring all residents east, to safety. If you are unable to contact your local law enforcement, please calmly collect your family, loved ones and only your most vital possessions and proceed east until you find safety. This is a general evacuation order for all residents of-”

Asriel tuned out the rest of the message as Chara’s growing horror began to threaten his control of his body. Doing his best to broadcast comfort to his best friend, he glanced around the street and took in the state of the town anew. The evacuation explained why the rest of the town was empty, but why was this street so damaged? Why were there still humans here?

A shimmer behind one of the cars caught his attention and he snapped his head towards it, Chara stilling their thoughts in his mind. A squelching sound could be faintly heard, which he had missed due to the sound of the emergency broadcast. A shadow was being cast behind the car and it was moving. Levitating around the car to see better what else was in the street, Asriel saw something he could not quite comprehend.

A stout creature, not much bigger than a Loox, was crouched over the body of a human, which twitched and groaned sporadically. At a distance, Asriel would say the creature was merely a dark colored monster with a bulbous shape. Up so close, he knew far better. Monster had color to them. This creature was so black that Asriel had difficulty believing it wasn’t made of pure darkness. Its body appeared more liquid or gas than a solid, its shape not quite whole or stable. Wisps of darkness seemed to cling to its form. As its arm reached out into the human’s body, he could see how a claw seemingly formed out of the arm like clay being molded.

Suddenly, the creature snapped around and Asriel saw it from the front. A great white circle seemed to cover most of the front of its body, and he was unsure if it was a mouth or part of their body. It lacked a head, a trait not uncommon among monsters. A long slit of darkness opened up within that white circle, and auditory garbage flowed out of it.

“ **Bar bs hf?** ” The sound was like claws on a chalkboard, and it grated at Asriel’s mind as if somebody had reached in and scratched at his very soul.

The creature tilted its body at Asriel before turning back to the body and resuming its previous actions. As it reached back with its claw, he saw red and pink along the oozing blackness of its arm and realized what grisly act it was doing. The human twitched in agony as the claw receded. A faint shudder of breath could be heard.

“It’s eating the human. Eating them alive,” Asriel whispered out loud, shock causing him to forget he can communicate inside his mind with Chara. “Chara, what is that?”

Chara didn’t respond, although the horror within his mind was answer enough. It certainly wasn’t something Chara knew anything about. It wasn’t a human and, despite Chara’s hatred of humans, even this was a bridge too far. Even so, he remained stock still from shock and fear, afraid that movement may make the situation worse and uncertain of what to do. Getting six souls was the last thing on Asriel’s mind.

A strange sensation ran through Asriel’s soul, so very similar to something they had felt very recently in the underground. The sounds from the human had ceased entirely. As he watched, a shimmering cyan light in the shape of a heart seemed to rise up from the human’s chest. A wispy light that felt both ephemeral and far too permanent at the same time. A soul. The culmination of one’s being.

“ **Sbbq,** ” the creature uttered, causing Asriel to grit his teeth in response to the sensation of hearing its voice.

Pushing its body close to the heart in front of it, a strange inky appendage shot out of the creature’s maw and wrapped around the soul. The soul pulsed brightly in response. The appendage tightened suddenly, becoming solid and-

 _The soul!_ Chara’s fury rose suddenly within Asriel and he felt himself lose control as Chara mentally shoved him aside. He felt his arm shoot up and his magic burst forth, stars that oscillated between the colors of the rainbow crashing into the creature and blasting it backwards. Thick gobs of a black substance came loose where the magic struck the creature and burst into shimmering white light as they struck the ground. A shriek that belonged to no monster in the underground split the air. The magic had literally blown it apart, where it was instead meant to only harm the soul and leave the body intact. Monster magic was supposed to be clean. This was decidedly not.

 _Asriel, grab the soul. Before it eats it,_ Chara said, shoving Asriel back into control. Blinking once, he let them guide him forward as he remembered what they were here for to begin with. His paws closed in over the human soul and just like that he pulled it into himself, absorbing it just like he had Chara’s. Unlike Chara, it gave no reaction and he felt no presence within his mind. He could feel the power, however. He had felt he was godlike before, but now…

“ **Guvrs!** ” the creature spat at Asriel, bringing him back to reality.

Even missing enormous chunks from its body, the creature stood and faced towards Asriel. In his mind he suspected it was glaring at him, but there was nothing to tell what that creature’s expression may have been. It may not even feel emotions. Or perhaps it did? Humans had misjudged monsters once, had they not?

 _Monsters don_ _’t eat humans. Humans don’t eat humans. Humans may kill other humans, like I planned to here, but even this is too much,_ Chara’s said softly in response to Asriel’s thoughts. _We need five more souls - if this human was still alive, there may be more still here. We need monsters to be free. And you need to be able to protect them from something like this. What if it does this to a monster? If it eats souls, what will it want with monsters? Boss monsters? Worry about the bigger picture once we_ _’ve freed your people, Ree._

Asriel closed his eyes, wondering if now should be when he puts his foot down and stops his friend from making a decision he knows they don’t want to make. Then he opens them again and sees that horrifying mockery of a beast, feels that sense of utter wrongness about them. He lets Chara control his magic. Lets them erase that beast, only to confirm that there is no dust. No soul left behind. No soul at all in that thing.

 _Five more souls, Ree,_ Chara says in their mind.

 

 

The radio blared out a folksy rock song in the cabin, something far too old for Frisk to remember when it might have been recorded. Slouched low in the passenger side seat of the truck’s cab, Frisk let the music wash over them as they scrolled through their notes on the tablet, eyes closed but reading nonetheless. It wasn’t really their kind of music but anything was better than nothing in their mind. If there was nothing playing, the driver might try striking up a conversation again. He was nice enough, but they’d only chosen to stay in the cab instead of the container because it had been part of the deal. Hard to do much protecting from inside a windowless box, far away from your charge.

As if reading their thoughts, the driver spoke up, “We’re just about at True Home. Should see it soon enough. Don’t know what one of you types wants in this monster city, they get a bit antsy around humans with magic for obvious reasons y‘see, but I can’t complain you’ve made me a lot more comfortable on this trip. I always feel a bit funny spending so long away from the barriers. The monsters don’t need ‘em but that don’t mean it’s safe. I’m no monster after all.”

Hiding their frown, Frisk looked out the windscreen, curious to see their first glance of True Home. Nothing but trees and plains right now but they kept their eyes peeled, even as they raised their hands and signed something in the vague direction of the driver.

Only a moment after beginning signing, a voice that had once belonged to Frisk but was clearly not coming from their mouth filled the air. “Are attacks common out here?”

“Common enough to make an old man like me nervous. Heard a few stories at stops, stopped seeing a few truckers who I know didn’t stop trucking. I’d get out of it but the pay’s good and my daughter has a chance to get ahead back in New York. She’s in the Grand Asura Mage College. Couldn’t believe it when she told me she got in, but I could believe how many figures the fees had when I saw the bill.”

“Something needs to pay for the mages researching new ways to defend us, and for those who do the defending,” Frisk signed, their disembodied voice once again vocalizing the gestures.

“And I don’t begrudge you that. This decade has been hard, but it’s only thanks to you mages that we have a chance. I just wish the monsters could look a little closer at the dangers we go through to bring them supplies,” the driver said, then broke off in a chuckle. “Then again, if they did I probably wouldn’t be earning enough to put my girl through college so there’s that. Still, I appreciate you riding along. Mages are rare enough in the Monster Kingdom, let alone one wanting a trip from the outskirts to the capital.”

Frisk began to sign in response when the city came into sight and they dropped their hands. Their first thought was that they didn’t realize they were going to Legoland. The drab plains suddenly exploded into color as the city limits came into view, tall colorful buildings as far as the eye could see. Mount Ebott sat to one side, a great castle barely visible at the base. The city appeared like a great sprawl, buildings for tens of thousands of monsters spread across the landscape in every color of the rainbow and then some. Not that there was much beyond the sprawl. Tall buildings seemed out of fashion, aside from the castle and another oddly shaped building closer to the center of the city. Then again, having lived underground for centuries, what monster would want to live beneath another monster?

The architecture of the buildings varied greatly, Frisk noted as they entered the city proper. Each street felt like monsters had jammed every architectural influence from the world into it, with quaint cottages and modern mansions next to Greek villas and buildings shaped like animals. Frowning, Frisk decided that it wasn’t a human architectural influence that had lead to the house shaped like a fish they had just passed. Having seen little of the world beyond their town of Burlington and the mage communities of New York, it was more than Frisk had imagined. The monsters on the outskirts of the kingdom lived in considerably less ostentatious buildings.

“Well, here we are. Thank you again for riding along with an old trucker. You sure you don’t want anything?” the driver asked once they had pulled up near the city center, leaning over to look at Frisk out the passenger side window.

“The transport was enough, as agreed,” Frisk replied, hefting their duffel bag over one shoulder.

“Mmm, well, if you’re sure. I’ll be here for a few days before my next big load is ready. You have my number - give me a call if you finish your work and need a lift back. Heck, even if you finish up later give me a call and I can patch you through to some friends.”

With a final thank you and goodbye, Frisk watched the truck driver pull away and make his way further into the city. After a brief stretch and straightening of their striped sweater and pants they pulled out their phone and brought up directions, slowly navigating their way to their destination. The streets were packed with monsters even on a weekday after lunchtime and Frisk was left to wonder whether this was because monsters worked less or if the city was just this busy. Despite the number of monsters, it was easy going as they were given plenty of space. Humans were a rare sight, judging from the few that Frisk saw. Truly a monster city, built by monsters for monsters.

Just on the edge of the CBD, they found what they came for. A hole-in-the-wall bakery, in one of the only three-story buildings Frisk had seen so far. The street outside was full of foot traffic, being part of the pedestrian-only plaza, and over the course of ten minutes they saw plenty of monsters flit in and out for baked goods. Stepping inside when they judged the store to be less busy, Frisk saw a human couple manning the bakery. The displays full of luxurious pastries and desserts, with equally luxurious prices in both US dollars and gold coins. While the lady handed a small teardrop-shaped monster a bag of macarons, Frisk waved to the man to get his attention.

“Oh, you must be new to the city. Haven’t seen you around before,” he said, brushing his dusty brown hair from his face with a smile. Then his smile turned a little lopsided, as a thought occurred to him. “You wouldn’t happen to be Frisk, would you?”

Nodding, Frisk signed in response, their disembodied voice once again translating the signs into English, “I am Frisk. You are Jonathan Crisp? I just arrived.”

Jonathan stared at Frisk in shock, his smile slipping briefly before returning with a shake of his head. “Well, that’s quite the party trick. You certainly make it very clear you’re a mage, err, Miss or Mister…?”

“Just Frisk is fine.”

With a raise of his hands and a crisp nod, Jonathan replied, “Right. Jon is fine for me, and my wife here is Bel. I’ll introduce you once we’re a little less busy. For now, how about we step out back to discuss business?”

Out back turned out to be a matter of a few steps, just behind the stacked rolling trays that held the bread. Although Frisk declined, Jon retrieved a soft drink from a bar fridge and cracked it open. After a few sips, he seemed ready to talk, gazing out at the shop through the gaps between the trays.

“It’s quite good business here. Monsters overwhelmingly prefer monster food - uh, they don’t appreciate the waste from our food - but there’s few enough human stores selling fresh human food and plenty of monsters, so even a niche market keeps us busy. We initially came out here for the safety aspect. No amount of feeling like a fish out of water can offset feeling truly safe and our daughter loves it here, going to a school with so many exciting and different friends.”

Jon paused, his happy look seeming to become strained as he sipped at his soft drink for several moments. Frisk waited, aware that there was no need to pointlessly ask about the catch. They knew it well enough.

“The monsters, they’re really nice. The guards visit us and make it clear we’re just as important to protect as all the monsters, that our concerns are taken seriously. But… they just don’t understand. They can’t understand.” Jon’s voice was almost whisper-quiet and strained, all trace of his earlier smile gone. “If a shadow demon shows up in front of a monster, they just disintegrate it. Even a child can single-handedly stop the smaller ones, and the guards know how to handle the bigger ones whenever they appear. But that’s it. They take no other precautions. No barriers, no street lamps with anti-shadow fields, no wards. We don’t have magic. And guns don’t hurt shadows, even if we were allowed one. When they come near, I don’t know what to do.”

“Do they come?” Frisk asks.

“Yes. They’ve never come upstairs yet - the wards I welded onto the doors and the windows have worked so far, but I know from experience that no store-bought ward can truly keep out a shadow demon. One day…

“Hah, it’s so funny,” Jon says with a bitter laugh, staring emptily at the front of the store. “The night I decided to leave New Jersey and come out here had me just as terrified as I feel some nights here. I was flitting from street light to street light on the way home from work, staying in the protective fields the mages maintained but one whole stretch of them had been blown out. There was shot and shells all over the path - some drunk asshole had done it as a joke. I sprinted through the darkness, absolutely certain that any moment a demon would reach out and grab me. I could hear them, as you always could at night. I made it home, but the thought of doing that again, of my baby girl who was so close to school age ever having to do that… We packed that night, called that agency that advertised about safe haven in the Monster Kingdom and were away the next day. I felt I couldn’t live a life where I was so dependent on such fragile protective measures. Now, I’d give anything to see another lamp with that glowing sigil that promised safety.”

“Why not leave?”

“Because, despite my fear, it is better here. My daughter is safe with her monster friends. Shadows are rare but… the fear gets to you. Especially as attacks are becoming more common. They don’t have the same cycle here, of the shadows getting stronger, then the mages clearing them out, weakening them only for them to get stronger. Here, they just get worse and worse.”

Frisk let out a shuddering breath. It was nothing new to them. For a human to call for a mage to clear out shadows in the midst of the monster capital, True Home, had meant only one thing to them. That things were as bad here as they had been back home.

Reassurance time, Frisk decided, beginning to sign. “I know what you’re talking about.”

“You do? I don’t mean to be insulting, but you have magic. We don’t,” Jon responded with a bitter smile, finishing his drink and tossing the can into a bin.

Ignoring his dismissive attitude, Frisk continued, “I’m from Burlington, on the outskirts of the kingdom up north-east. It was the closest to home my parents could bring me back west before…” Trailing off, Frisk waved their hands around to dismiss what they had just raised before continuing, “There are plenty of monsters there and they clear out the shadows they see, just as you say, but they do nothing more. They don’t look for the cracks in the world, they don’t proactively clear out the shadows - it’s like they don’t even realize they can. There were no protective measures in place beyond the monster guards and puzzles, but as I got older I did my best to help. Placing wards, clearing out nests of shadows, even providing a safe place as needed. I live in a two story building and left the bottom story unlocked but warded, because sometimes people felt safer sleeping down there on old mattresses with strangers, knowing there was a mage right upstairs who could help them. Things were safe enough that the population still went up. Very few dangerous attacks.

“When I officially enrolled, some mages came out and installed a few of those protective fields - Shadow Dischargers, they call them. I still clear out nests but that’s about it. All it took to improve things was a bit of knowledge that monsters didn’t magically make everything safe.”

Jon nodded, a small but sad smile on his lips. “It’s a big city, here. Even if you were here permanently I don’t think it would be enough and I think that knowledge you speak of will be slow to build. Still, I’m happy to pay you to clear out the local nests my friends and I are worried about. Even a temporary break in the cycle would be useful, and maybe the monsters might even learn something. Are you sure the payment is enough, I can pool with some friends-”

A raised palm stopped Jon short before Frisk signed again, “I’m a kingdom resident and this counts as college credit, so there’s payment enough. If you can show me on my map where you’ve noticed problems I can get to work while I find my bearings in this city.”

With a cough to clear their throat and a moment to straighten themselves out, Jon gestured to go ahead and Frisk pulled out their tablet from their duffel bag. As the two of them got down to going over the map and placing markers on places of interest, Jon added one last comment, “Thank you. Truly. You have no idea what this means to us.”

 

 

The alleyway seemed to loom over Frisk as they gazed down it. Shadowed by the sun, it ran between two busy streets on the far end of the CBD, just beyond the pedestrian-only zone. It seemed like the perfect shortcut, a quick and easy way to cut from one street to the other instead of needing to loop around the entire block. There was even a small alcove within, the perfect place for a small shop to set up or a peaceful place for people to catch up. There was no graffiti, very little rubbish and the construction work looked recent. Then again, most of the city looked recent, Frisk thought. It looked like any other part of this busy city, with countless monsters streaming past Frisk and this alleyway as they waited.

Yet not a single soul ever walked down it. Frisk was even certain they had seen a few monsters walking past the far end of the alleyway who had passed them earlier, making this the perfect shortcut for them. In a city as supposedly safe as this one, why did everybody avoid this place?

If it were a human town or city, the answer would be clear. Even before it had been marked as dangerous by local authorities or mages, places that had became home to a shadow nest were avoided like the plague by residents. One could feel the world cracking around you as the shadow demons slipped in behind you, waiting for an opportunity to seize your soul. Humans had developed a good sixth sense for shadows - without it, there would be far less. This wasn’t a human city, however. Monsters didn’t feel or fear shadows the way humans did, from Frisk’s experience. Low tier shadows, such as those in a young nest, would also avoid jumping monsters if they could help it as it was far too dangerous.

This alleyway, if it was a nest like Jon had indicated or a lurking place for a powerful shadow, either had another reason monsters were avoiding it or Frisk’s knowledge of monster abilities to detect shadows was incorrect. The latter would indicate some uncomfortable facts about the attitude monsters had towards shadows, particularly when co-habiting with humans. If it were true, then it could make relations even more difficult if monsters were being willfully blind to the threat of shadows to humans even when they could detect them.

Frisk shook away the negative thoughts. Monsters had given them no reason to be so suspicious. Even if it were true, there was surely another reason. And it wasn’t necessarily true. At the very least, they needed to explore this alleyway first before jumping to conclusions.

Not even halfway, the reason why everybody avoided this shortcut became exceedingly clear. Enormous spikes shot up out of the ground at either end, having been built into the ground, and they hummed with magic. All along the ground between the spikes glowing blue symbols in the form of the letter ‘X’ appeared, a very clear sign to Frisk not to step on them. They had learned the hard way not to step on glowing magic runes without first studying what magic lay behind them. They had no intentions of potentially replacing their current clothing due to a fire trap - this sweater was one of their favorites.

A note on the wall caught Frisk’s attention, the writing being in all capitals and hand-written at that.

‘SHADOW FRIEND, KNOW THAT THIS MASTERFUL PUZZLE WAS CREATED BY A VERY FAMOUS ROYAL GUARDSMAN. SUCH A PUZZLE MAY BE BEYOND YOUR ABILITIES, BUT DO NOT DESPAIR AS A PUZZLE YOU CAN MASTER AWAITS IN THE ALCOVE.’

At the very bottom of the note, in much smaller capitals, was another sentence.

‘NOTE: NOT YET A VERY FAMOUS ROYAL GUARDSMAN.’

A puzzle for shadow demons, Frisk thought with a sigh. One that triggers upon seemingly anybody walking down the alleyway. Past experience with monster puzzles in Burlington left them unsurprised, except that this was happening in a heavily populated city. It had been years since any monster had blocked off a regular passageway in Burlington, the last being when a particularly elderly monster had moved in and placed a wooden gate over the road into town that wouldn’t open until the connected puzzle was solved. The gate had not even lasted even three vehicles, and only that long because the second car was stuck behind the first while that driver kindly solved the puzzle. The local monster guards had taken a strict approach about where puzzles could be placed since, as the destruction of the gate by an incoming truck had not only nearly caused a monster vs human altercation but it had served no purpose to begin with. Shadow demons didn’t use cars or roads, after all.

Stepping carefully around the glowing X’s, Frisk made their way into the alcove. They weren’t sure what they were expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what was on the small table in the alcove.

It looked like spaghetti. If spaghetti contained sequins, had pasta that was both charred and completely raw and had enormous chunks of tomato in it. Frisk was also certain that spaghetti did not improve from exposure to open air, monster food or not. Being composed of magic was no true protection against expiry, as many humans had learned once monster food began to propagate throughout society.

Another note was next to it, the contents of which left Frisk confused as to how they were being ‘japed’ by a plate of spaghetti. Or how this was a puzzle or trap in any way.

Perhaps the solution to the puzzle outside the alcove was in the spaghetti? Or perhaps eating the spaghetti was the solution to the puzzle?

Staring down the not-quite-spaghetti, Frisk made a resolution that even if it was the solution to the puzzle, it wasn’t going anywhere near their stomach. Monster food may dissolve into magic in the mouth, but it still had a taste. That spaghetti certainly would have a taste as well, if not one Frisk wanted anything to do with.

A shifting shadow in the corner of their eye caught their attention and Frisk snapped their head up, looking for movement. The shadows continued to shift in the corners of Frisk’s eyes, the movement always just in their peripheral vision no matter how fast they moved.

They took a deep breath, focusing themselves. They could feel the world around them seeming to bleed away. It wasn’t that the shadows were shifting, it was that the world beyond had begun to bleed into Frisk’s vision. A common symptom of a powerful shadow presence. The edges of their vision were going monochromatic as their mind began to process the magical disruption present. The nonsense of the puzzle had been a distraction, one that may very well have been fatal. Hoping that it was a coincidence and not intentional, Frisk dismissed their thoughts of the monster puzzle and instead waited, focused on the world around them. Focused on the world that was not truly around them, but merely a dimension’s breadth away regardless.

Minutes passed. Frisk wasn’t sure how long. Focusing on their magical senses like this was similar to meditation and time could easily slip away. They had time, however. It was always safer to wait for a shadow demon to come to them, than to rush in blindly. Eventually, something would take the bait and Frisk would have a better idea of what they were up against in a much safer environment.

There, a faint crack, like claws on stonework. Spinning, Frisk focused in on themselves, on their soul, ready to do battle.

Almost immediately behind them, looming out of the wall itself, was an inky black monstrosity. An enormous bulbous mass with legs and arms and three vertical gaping maws faced Frisk, its arms outstretched in preparation to attack. There would only be an instant for Frisk to defend themselves. A moment’s hesitation or distraction could spell death.

“I AM HERE, SHADOW FRIEND, AND I NOTE THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET SOLVED MY PUZZLE,” came a very loud and excited voice from the alleyway. “ALLOW THE GREAT PAPYRUS TO CAPTURE YOU SO THAT I MIGHT SOLVE THE PUZZLE FOR YOU.”

A moment’s distraction, Frisk thought ironically as their head automatically snapped to the doorway upon hearing the voice. Realizing their mistake, they instinctively leapt back, bracing themselves for the claws of the beast. With a crash, Frisk knocked the table over and heard a plate shatter. Magic swelled up within them as they prepared to protect themselves, but they quickly realized there was no need. The enormous mass of darkness the shadow demon had stepped out from was rapidly closing, the shadow having decided better than to attack Frisk with another person rapidly approaching.

“THAT CRASH! I APOLOGIZE FOR SURPRISING YOU, SHADOW FR-” the voice trailed away as the owner of it came around the corner and into the alcove. An exceedingly tall skeleton, wearing a similarly exceedingly odd outfit, came into view. He looked down at Frisk, who had naturally fallen into a crouch when recovering from their tumble. Seconds passed, with the skeleton merely watching as Frisk straightened up and took stock.

Then, the skeleton spoke, “HUMAN, I AM SO SORRY FOR HAVING TRAPPED YOU HERE. I HAD THOUGHT YOU WERE A SHADOW THAT NEEDED CAPTURING FOR THE ROYAL GUARD. I AM PAPYRUS AND IT IS A TRULY WONDERFUL DAY FOR YOU TO MEET ME. MY PRONOUNS ARE HE/HIM.”

Papyrus stuck out his hand in a greeting, a hand that was covered in an oven mitt Frisk noted. Every aspect of the skeleton appeared bright and cheerful as he beamed down at them, a grin that seemed broader than his skull should physically allow stretched across his face. Hesitating, Frisk gently returned the handshake while hiding their apprehension, holding it only for the briefest of moments before pulling their hand back. They let out a small sigh as Papyrus allowed them to do so without holding their hand in place, returning their ‘voice’ to them in the process. Mentally shaking off the needless apprehension they had felt, they began to sign a return greeting.

“My name is Frisk. I use they/them. I had been interested in meeting the monster who created this puzzle.”

“BUT OF COURSE YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MEETING THE CREATOR OF THIS MASTERPIECE. NOT A SINGLE SHADOW HAS ESCAPED FROM IT.” There was the briefest of pauses, noticeable only because Papyrus’ grin appeared to slip slightly and his gaze seemed to shift to the wall rather than Frisk, his skull shifting in a way that made it clear he wasn’t bound to the physical constraints of a human skeleton. “ALTHOUGH I MUST ADMIT I HAVE NOT YET SEEN ONE. EVERYBODY I HAVE SOLVED THE PUZZLE FOR HAS BEEN A MONSTER. MONSTERS WHO LACK A TRUE APPRECIATION FOR THE ART OF PUZZLING, I MIGHT ADD.”

Then he brightened up and looked back at Frisk. “THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A HUMAN HAS BEEN FOUND IN MY PUZZLE. OR THE FIRST ONE I HAVE MET FOR MANY YEARS FOR THAT MATTER. AND ONE THAT CAN APPRECIATE MY WORK. ALTHOUGH I MUST STILL SAY THAT IT IS SURPRISING. WHAT IS A HUMAN DOING APPROACHING A KNOWN LOCATION OF SHADOWS? I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO YOUR KIND, LACKING MAGIC AS YOU ARE.”

Silence fell over the alcove, broken only by the distant bustle of the city. Frisk was at a loss.  They literally talked using magic, their mouth never opening and the voice clearly coming from the air around them in response to their signs. Had the monster just not noticed? Shrugging it off, they decided for honesty.

“I am investigating shadow nests in the area. They are becoming too dangerous to leave alone.”

“INVESTIGATING SHADOW NESTS? I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE, BUT TO SEEK SHADOWS WITHOUT PROTECTION IS A MOST DANGEROUS TASK. YOU SURELY MUST-” Papyrus suddenly broke off what he was saying, his expression flipping from concerned to delighted, as though he had discovered a great thing. “BUT I SEE NOW. YOUR PRESENCE HERE, IN MY PUZZLE WHERE NO HUMAN COMES. YOUR INTEREST IN MEETING ME, THIS PUZZLE’S CREATOR. YOUR MISSION, WHICH IS FAR TOO PERILOUS FOR A HUMAN. YOU HAVE COME TO TEST ME, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AND SEE WHAT YOU MIGHT LEARN FROM MY ABILITIES TO PUZZLE AND ENTRAP SHADOWS SO AS TO AID OTHER HUMANS. METTATON HAS SPOKEN AT LENGTH OF THE TRIALS AND TRAVAILS HUMANS GO THROUGH TO BE READY TO PROTECT THEIR KIN FROM SHADOWS.”

Striking a pose, Papyrus clenched his fist in front of his face and grinned down at Frisk. “I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE, HUMAN. LET THE GREAT PAPYRUS SHOW YOU HOW TO TRULY KEEP A CITY SAFE FROM THAT WHICH LURKS IN THE SHADOWS.”

Despite the absurdity of his conclusion, Frisk found themselves admitting that Papyrus was more than a little impressive in his speech. It reminded them of the way some of the mage enforcers in New York acted, wearing their pride and egos on their sleeves as a means of keeping their spirits up in the face of the darkness they faced each day. There was just the small problem of Papyrus completely misunderstanding Frisk’s intentions here. It would only do harm to allow him to chase a fantasy.

Frisk took a deep breath as they began to sign back, before freezing as another realization occurred to them. Resuming their signing, they asked something altogether different, “Papyrus, how did you know to place a puzzle here? Monsters do not usually place puzzles within towns and cities and this is just another alleyway.”

“HA, A TEST! PUZZLES WITHIN CITY LIMITS MAY NOT BE THE WAY OF MOST MONSTERS NOW, DUE TO THEIR DECLINING APPRECIATION OF SUCH AN ANCIENT ART, BUT THEY ARE A MUST. I KNOW THERE TO BE SHADOWS DWELLING HERE AND THEY MUST BE CONTAINED OR CAPTURED FOR THE ROYAL GUARD.”

“So you knew there was a nest here?”

“I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY NEST, BUT I CAN FEEL THEIR PRESENCE HERE. MY BROTHER AGREES WITH ME, EVEN IF… EVEN IF OTHERS DO NOT. THE PATH TO BECOMING A VERY FAMOUS ROYAL GUARDSMAN MAY BE A LONELY ONE, AT LEAST UNTIL I BECOME VERY FAMOUS, BUT IT IS A PATH I MUST TREAD.”

He knew, even as other monsters did not. This was certainly a discovery Frisk could use. A discovery monsters could use - if they could be made to realize where shadows dwelt they could better protect themselves and humans. They had started their search thinking they would likely do little more than clean out some low tier shadows, but now they were wondering if they could accomplish something more. Something that would allow Jon to sleep better at night for far longer than a little bit of spring cleaning would do.

“Papyrus, I think we should work together on this. Could you show me where your other puzzles are? I am… very interested in them and why you put them where they are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An urban fantasy story with a monster cast and a magic-using Frisk, with a common foe that isn't human nor monster. The tagged pairings will eventually emerge but aren't the focus to begin with. Human OCs will exist but whether any will graduate from filler is to be seen.
> 
> Frisk does have some physical disabilities but as they're tied in with their magic they aren't a major focus (and hence not tagged) but may occasionally be plot relevant.
> 
> Note that I've brought Frisk (and many monsters) forward in the Undertale timeline. They're approximately the same age as Chara instead of being born a century or so later.


	2. Heed the Swarm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've added the Graphic Depictions of Violence warning because the effects of magical attacks on shadows are pretty dramatic. They get blown to bits. I'll mention in later chapters if there are any graphically violent scenes for humans or monsters.
> 
> Also, this chapter is a condensed version of my original plans for chapters 2 and 3. I think it came out okay and helps to get the main story started.

The pristine waters of the lake glittered in the afternoon sun. Frisk wasn’t sure if the lake was artificial - their memories didn’t contain anything about a lake but that didn’t mean much. They hadn’t had much freedom to move around back then, even before the evacuations. At the very least, the lake now captured runoff from the mountain so it could very well be natural. What looked like an enormous octopus-like monster could be seen in the distance and on the shores could be seen monsters relaxing and exercising. Picnics, monsters on phones, an armored guard at the far side. Even another human, dressed in a suit and in a deep discussion with a bunny monster at a nearby table.

The sight was a reminder that Frisk wasn’t in a human city. Barriers were expensive, as were devices to keep shadows at bay and the mage resources necessary to regularly clear out shadows. Public space was at a premium, let alone public space freely available for the enjoyment of all. The closest one might find to this were the small contained parks but even these were often gated. Somebody needed to pay the dues to the mages to keep them safe, after all.

“HUMAN, AS GRAND AS THE LAKE MAY BE IT DOES NOT YET CONTAIN ANY PUZZLES,” Papyrus said. “PERHAPS ONE DAY IT MIGHT, BUT FOR NOW YOU MAY TURN AROUND AND SEE MY CURRENT MASTERPIECE.”

Thoughtful, Frisk turned around, signing as they did so, “Not yet? What would puzzles on the lake achieve?”

“THEY WOULD HELP AQUATIC MONSTERS REKINDLE THEIR PASSION FOR OUR KIND’S HIGHEST FORM OF ART. ALSO, I HAD THOUGHT A PUZZLE MAY HELP THE ROYAL GUARD BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE HAve BEEN NO SIGNS OF ANY SHADOWS IN THE WATER.”

A statement which was only half-true. There were aquatic shadows, but they had tended to avoid coasts and had not made their way inland as of yet. Their existence was the prime reason why migrating out to sea was not an option for most humans, despite many proposals to do so. It was also the reason why coastal cities remained the most populous domain, beyond the easy access to running water. They were defensible and had yet to be threatened from the sea by shadows.

Dismissing their thoughts, Frisk instead focused on Papyrus’ puzzle. Or more accurately, the scene that would presumably become his puzzle once activated. A fenced gazebo sat amidst the neatly mowed grass, set back from the lake and close to the boundary posts that separated the lake from the rest of the city. There was a table in the middle of the gazebo. No obvious signs of a puzzle. They had to admit, the fact that Papyrus hid his puzzles until it was too late to avoid them would have been impressive if it weren’t for the fact that it served no purpose other than to capture innocent bystanders. As it was, the innocent bystanders of the city had since learned to avoid the puzzles. This one even had a big sign that said ‘Beware of Puzzle’, which they could tell wasn’t written by Papyrus due to the appropriate use of capital letters.

Although the scene was picturesque, Frisk was having difficulty seeing where the puzzle might be.

“ALTHOUGH I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR FEELINGS OF AWE UPON SEEING WHERE MY PUZZLE IS, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD APPROACH IT AND ACTIVATE IT, HUMAN? SO THAT YOU MAY JUDGE ITS QUALITY AS A MASTERPIECE,” Papyrus said, demonstrating his inability to understate things. A quick glance confirmed that he had yet to change pose since arriving here, standing tall with a fist clasped in front of his chest. If there was a wind blowing, they suspected his scarf would be blowing and the pose would look slightly less out of place. On second thought, it probably wouldn’t.

Nothing seemed to happen as Frisk approached the gazebo, although they were beginning to get that otherworldly feeling that was indicative of the presence of a shadow. This location had not been marked by Jon on their map, which meant that Papyrus appeared to be the real deal. His honest demeanor and earlier statement of having not met a human for many years ruled out the possibility of another human helping his determine the location of the traps. This could be a potential step forward for human and monster relations.

The gates of the gazebo snapped shut automatically once Frisk stepped inside and that same slamming sound of spikes could be heard. Looking around them, they could see the gazebo was surrounded by the enormous spikes, again humming with magic. Clods of dirt and grass hung off them. They were impressed that Papyrus had gone so far as to re-lay the grass over the spikes. Then they wondered how often he had to re-lay that grass. This clearly wasn’t very efficient.

“Don’t monsters usually provide hints for their puzzles?” they ask, having glanced around the wooden interior and seen nothing that looked anything like a hint.

“THAT IS THE TRADITIONAL WAY, BUT I AM A MODERN SKELETON. A SKELETON MODERN ENOUGH TO ADHERE TO THE ROYAL GUARD’S MANTRA OF PROVIDING NO WARNING TO UNRULY SHADOWS IN OUR CITY.” Papyrus’ expression contradicted his statement somewhat, as his face appeared almost sour. Or at least, they thought it was a sour look - it was hard to tell with the nearly permanent grin on his skull. Clearly this modern turn of puzzling was not to Papyrus’ liking.

Their search for the solution was brief, interrupted as it was by other monsters.

“Another one, dear. Hold on, human. We have a note in our coat with the solution to the puzzle.”

“WORRY NOT, DOGARESSA. THIS HUMAN IS ASSESSING THESE PUZZLES. I SHALL FREE THEM ONCE THEY HAVE DETERMINE IT IS A MASTERPIECE,” Papyrus said, breaking his pose briefly to address the two newcomers. A pair of what looked like dogs wearing black coats and hoods that covered their eyes, carrying large axes. Magically infused or created axes at that, as they seemed to tingle to Frisk’s senses.

They briefly wondered whether Papyrus meant the implied threat to not free them if they said the puzzle was anything but a masterpiece, but suspected that wasn’t a threat so much as innocent faith in his own abilities.

“Assessing? Never mind. Papyrus, you know you’re not supposed to have these puzzles inside the city,” said the other dog, this one with a male voice.

“ON THE CONTRARY, AS A SENTRY IT IS MY DUTY TO USE PUZZLES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF RESIDENTS UNTIL THE ROYAL GUARD ARE ABLE TO ARRIVE.”

“That’s what they do outside the city. In the city, you’re not supposed to use puzzles. Just call us if you see a shadow you can’t stop.”

“THE USE OF PUZZLES IS IN MY EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT, DOGAMY.”

“It is? That’s…” Dogamy trailed off.

“It is fine, dear. And you are fine as well, Papyrus. My dearest is just a little irritable today. Most people know to avoid the puzzles so it is no extra trouble,” Dogaressa said, nuzzling Dogamy’s nose. “Human, I have found the note. If you have finished your ‘assessment’, I can give you the solution.”

As if in response to her words, the spikes retracted with a loud clang and the gates reopened. Standing up from where they had been under the table, Frisk gave the monsters a thumbs up. The button under the table hadn’t been all that hard to find and was the logical place to look given the lack of anything else in the gazebo.

“HUMAN, HAVING JUST DEMONSTRATED TO US YOUR MASTERFUL PUZZLE SOLVING SKILLS PLEASE DELIVER YOUR JUDGMENT.”

Frisk put on a thoughtful pose as they let their thoughts and focus wander elsewhere. The puzzle itself wasn’t of interest here, although it likely worked better than they had first thought. Instead they were worried about the lack of any shadow presence here. They had definitely felt something but without a proper magical reaction it was clear that there was no immediate threat, which meant this wasn’t a nest. Or at least, not anymore.

“You said earlier that you had never found a shadow demon in one of your puzzles. Have you ever found your puzzles to activate but have nobody in them, despite having not been solved?” they signed, noting the way Papyrus’ face slipped at the use of the term ‘demon’.

“THAT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, NO DOUBT DUE TO MEDDLING TEENS.”

“I’m not so sure of that,” Dogamy said. “We’ve found these puzzles triggered at all hours.”

“The teenagers also tend to hang out elsewhere,” Dogaressa added. “Even so, puzzle misfires are quite common. We can’t fix our patrols outside the city as there are often sentries fixing large puzzles for that reason.”

“Another reason to just have more guards and less puzzles.”

“THAT WOULD BE AGAINST TRADITION.”

Dogamy opened his mouth to retort but was stopped by a sudden nose nuzzle from his partner. Before Frisk could use the break in the argument to ask another question, a cell phone went off. Papyrus pulled his out excitedly.

“MY BROTHER, SANS. I SHALL HEAR YOUR ASSESSMENT AFTERWARDS, HUMAN.” Papyrus began to walk away, before turning and adding, “I’M SURE WE’RE ALL VERY EXCITED TO HEAR IT.”

Papyrus’ last words seemed like a vain attempt to keep the Dogi here. Her partner already beginning to shuffle off, Dogaressa gave Frisk a sympathetic look. Or at least, they felt it was sympathetic. The hood over her head made it hard to tell, so perhaps they were projecting.

“Before you go, I do have one more question. Do you ever find shadows near the puzzles?”

“No,” Dogamy said.

Giving her partner a look, Dogaressa elaborated, “Shadows are relatively rare on our patrols but even so the puzzles are the only thing we can encounter in those particular areas.”

“That makes sense,” Frisk signs, looking at the table. “Shadows aren’t the most logical of creatures. Even a simple puzzle would keep them trapped, and they would simply have to return to where they came from.”

A hush fell over them. Looking up, Frisk saw that the Dogi were looking at one another before turning back to Frisk and giving a small wave.

“Do have fun, little human,” Dogaressa said, as the pair resumed their patrol.

Left to their own devices, Frisk concentrated their magical senses. The lack of an active shadow presence continued to scratch at their mind, especially as all the other clues mounted up. The constant puzzle misfires, both in and out of the cities further indicated the lack of knowledge monsters had of shadows, but also confirmed they were being placed correctly. Perhaps it was mere trial and error? The most apt phrase was perhaps ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire’, except with puzzle activations instead of smoke. But even then, it didn’t add up. The monsters responsible for protecting the populace didn’t seem to understand what the misfires meant. Was somebody above them providing that direction?

The other major aspect was that shadows weren’t able to escape from the traps. Although an odd design choice, they did appear to have a similar effect to the wards and dischargers that mages would place to keep shadows at bay. Of course, humans didn’t attempt to trap shadows in their nests. The exact reason was escaping Frisk’s memory for the moment, but given the ease with which mage enforcers could deal with a nest it would make more sense for a team to clean out a nest once identified.

Except here was a likely nest, with no active presence. Again, the facts scratched at Frisk’s mind in an attempt to dig something up.

“OF COURSE THEY ARE HERE TO ASSESS ME. THEY FOUND MY PUZZLE AND WERE EAGER TO MEET ME, THE CREATOR.” Papyrus’ voice caught Frisk’s attention and they noted he was making his way back, his voice having more than enough volume to be heard even at a distance. “THEY EVEN RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR LOCATION, JUST AS YOU DID, SANS.”

There was a pause as Sans presumably responded on the other end of the call. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ‘THAT’S STRANGE’? MY PUZZLE PLACEMENT SKILLS ARE AS FAMOUS AS I AM.” A moment passed before Papyrus narrowed his eyes in their general direction, close enough now for them to make out his expression.

“OR AS I WILL BE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY MAGIC - WE ARE MONSTERS, OF COURSE WE USE MAGIC. SANS, NO, THIS IS A TERRIBLE TIME FOR YOUR TERRIBLE PUNS.”

Grumbling, Papyrus hung up and returned his phone to his pocket. He turned his head each way, looking for a pair of cloaked dogs that were already out of sight. His grin did not fall away, but did appear to be that much more strained.

“DUTY CALLS FOR ALL, I SEE. I AM FORTUNATE AS A SENTRY TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON MY PUZZLES,” he said, looking back at Frisk. “MY BROTHER WAS QUITE INTERESTED IN YOU. YOUR ABILITY IN ASSESSING PUZZLES MUST BE OF INTEREST TO HIS RESEARCH.”

“Research?” Frisk asked, leaving the gazebo as they did so.

“YES. HE IS A RESEARCH ASSISTANT TO MY FATHER IN THE ROYAL LABORATORY. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT WORK. ALMOST AS IMPORTANT AS PROTECTING THE PEOPLE OF TRUE HOME WITH PUZZLES AND A WATCHFUL GAZE!”

The Royal Laboratory of the Monster Kingdom was famous among mages, particularly for the secretive nature of their research. No human had set foot inside it and monsters said next to nothing of what occurred inside. What Frisk did know was that monsters had a much more scientific approach to the use of magic, no doubt aided by their natural use of it over millenia. If they found themself in the capital for longer than they expected, perhaps this ‘Sans’ might say a little about his work.

“This puzzle is as well-placed as the first one and as effective. I would like to see some others,” Frisk said, putting aside their idle thoughts on learning about monster research.

Looking at the map on their phone where they had marked down the locations of Papyrus’ puzzles earlier, Frisk began making their way to the other side of the park. They stopped after only a short while, turning back to see that Papyrus had not moved.

The skeleton seemed to be gazing off towards the city, where the Dogi had continued their patrol. His ever-present grin seemed to have become that much more strained.

“Papyrus?”

The sound of his name appeared to be enough to bring him back to his usual self. Straightening up, his grin as bright as it was when they first met, Papyrus strode over to Frisk.

“NYEH HEH HEH, OF COURSE IT WAS JUST AS GREAT AS MY OTHER PUZZLE. LET US GO TO SEE THE NEXT ON YOUR TOUR.”

 

 

As the sun began to set on True Home, Frisk found themself returning to the very first puzzle they had found alongside Papyrus. Their mind had been constantly going back to that first encounter with each additional puzzle they saw. It was the same everywhere. Signs of a shadow presence, a puzzle to keep them in but when they looked closer they couldn’t sense any shadows on the other side. Yet they had encountered a relatively powerful shadow in the alcove, with a presence strong enough that it had begun to interfere with Frisk’s physical senses even before they had attempted to detect anything. If there was a nest that needed clearing it had to be there.

They just hoped that the niggling feeling in their mind was wrong, and that they weren’t about to walk into something far too dangerous.

“I MUST SAY, HUMAN, YOUR INTEREST IN MY SKILLS AS A SPAGHETTIORE IS AS IMPRESSIVE AS YOUR PUZZLING SKILLS. ARE YOU CERTAIN YOU DO NOT WISH TO SEE A FRESH BATCH OF MY PASTA?”

Puzzling skills? That didn’t go together well in Frisk’s mind, even though they knew what he meant.

They signed in return, keeping their pace brisk as they entered the alleyway, “I could tell there was something special about that spaghetti, so we must see that particular plate.”

Lying to Papyrus like this wasn’t a great feeling, but he hadn’t understood why Frisk had wanted to return to the first puzzle so much. He also was intent on introducing them to his brother, a meeting Frisk was interested in having. Knowing that it would only be harder to get away to check the puzzle if they delayed any further and worried they were already too late had led to a simple solution, if not one that sat right with them.

Whatever Papyrus said in return to Frisk’s statement was lost as they got close to the alcove and nearly lost their balance. A wave of nausea struck them, as their vision began to bleed color at the edges. They weren’t even in the alcove. Their senses weren’t focused. This was bad.

Running into the alcove, they saw that nothing had changed in a physical sense. On the other hand, everything had changed in a magical sense.

The world had gone monochrome to their vision. The air felt thick. Focusing their magic here was difficult - it felt as though their soul was coated in a thick blanket of darkness when they grasped for it. Shadows seemed to shift across the walls, taking on a variety of different shapes that had nothing to do with the lamp in the corner. It was a vision of a world that wasn’t truly here but was beginning to bleed over.

This wasn’t just a nest. This was a swarm. A gathering of shadows from across the city.

The memory that had eluded them all this time clicked into place. Empty nests were a likely sign of an imminent attack. After all, shadows didn’t necessarily have to enter reality right near their nest and it was often dangerous to do so for them. Instead they would gather elsewhere, forming a swarm that would then spill into the streets and nearby buildings. This was the reason why mages regularly cleared nests. If they built up too much and a swarm attacked, then there was almost no way to prevent souls from being taken by shadows. Once that happened, then it would take more than just regular mage enforcers to stop the resulting shadows.

“THIS DOESN’T FEEL RIGHT AT ALL. HUMAN… FRISK, I DO NOT FEEL WE SHOULD BE HERE. ALLOW ME TO REACTIVATE THE PUZZLE AND CALL THE GUARDS,” Papyrus said, breaking Frisk from their thoughts.

Ignoring the fact Papyrus had finally seen fit to use their name, they shook their head. Monsters could scarcely detect shadows, let alone stop them on the other side.

“Go call the guards, Papyrus. With any luck, they won’t be needed but they may be.”

“IT IS NOT THE CALLING THAT IS DIFFICULT. I HAVE ALL THEIR NUMBERS IN SPEED-DIAL. IT IS THE PART WHERE WE LEAVE HERE BEFORE SOMETHING… SOMETHING I DO NOT WANT TO THINK ABOUT HAPPENS. FRISK, WE SHOULD LEAVE.”

“You should go, Papyrus. Didn’t you say that Sans wanted to see you? He must be worried sick.”

“SANS MAY BE LAZY. SO LAZY IT AMAZES ME HE CAN BE MY BROTHER. BUT HE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT MY DUTY AS A SENTRY IS. HE WILL UNDERSTAND IF WE ARE LATE TO MEET HIM.”

Frisk frowned, growing frustrated at Papyrus’ unwillingness to leave. They had literally just met, he should have no problems walking away. If this were anywhere else, be it New York or Burlington, they would already be on the other side, whoever was with them retreating to safety.

“I need to stop this before it gets worse. I need you to get to safety, Papyrus,” they signed, glad that the magical nature of their voice prevented any of their frustration leaking through.

Papyrus stared at them in return, sweat beginning to bead on his skull. How that occurred was a question that Frisk would file away to be answered later, once they were no longer in mortal peril. After some time, he appeared to reach a conclusion and gave a firm nod.

“I UNDERSTAND, HUMAN,” he said and Frisk let out a small sigh of relief. “IF THIS THREAT MUST BE STOPPED NOW THEN I SHALL CALL UNDYNE AND THEN JOIN YOU. AS A FUTURE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD, IT WOULD BE UNBECOMING OF MY POSITION TO ALLOW ANOTHER TO PLACE THEMSELVES IN DANGER WITHOUT PROTECTING THEM.”

A knot was forming in the bottom of Frisk’s stomach as they stared up at the still-grinning skeleton. Why couldn’t he understand that he was in danger? Monster or no, a swarm of shadow demons was too much for him.

Taking a deep breath, they made a decision to do something they would much rather not do.

“Papyrus, you are a sentry. A sentry that maintains puzzles. Not a royal guardsman.”

“NOT YET, BUT I AM TRAINING FOR IT AND WITH YOUR POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF MY PUZZLES-”

“I’m not here to assess your puzzles!” Frisk snapped, amplifying the magic in their disembodied voice for effect. “I was never here to see you at all, it was all a trick. A coincidence. If you want your puzzles to have any value, use them to keep everybody safe along with yourself while you wait for the guard to arrive.”

Ignoring the shocked look on the skeleton’s face, Frisk turned to the wall they had seen the shadow earlier. They could feel how thin the wall between here and the other side was. Stepping through would be easy, once they had confirmed Papyrus was safe.

“HUMAN… FRISK…” Papyrus said, his voice seeming to waver. A cold feeling settled in Frisk’s stomach where the knot had been earlier. Nobody was happy with this.

“THIS IS JUST LIKE IN ONE OF METTATON’S DRAMAS! TO DENY ONE’S TRUE FEELINGS IN AN ATTEMPT TO PROTECT ANOTHER. YOUR PASSION HAS REACHED ME. TOGETHER, OUR PASSION SHALL PREVENT ANY SHADOWS FROM CAUSING TROUBLE UNTIL THE GUARD ARRIVE. GIVE ME A MOMENT AND I SHALL CALL UNDYNE.”

They could do nothing but stare at the skeleton in confusion. Rubbing at their head, they realized that the only chance for Papyrus to be safe was to leave him and hope that no shadows came through after them.

Ignoring the loud conversation in the background, Frisk focused on their soul. They could feel it, beyond that blanket of darkness, humming with power. Connected to everything around them in a way their body could never be. They could feel the other side. They just needed to make it as real for their body as their soul for a brief instant.

With a deep breath, Frisk stepped forward through the wall, allowing the inky darkness to swallow them.

 

 

Shadow demons were a threat to the world for one reason above all others. Their ability to appear nearly anywhere. At first it had been believed they truly did lurk in people’s shadows or had some strange form of invisibility, but as magic was used to better understand this enemy of humanity they saw the truth. There was another world beyond the one humanity and monsters dwelt within. The shadow demons could move in their world with impunity and step out into this world when they were ready to attack. Once understood, it had only been a matter of time before mages learned how to detect shadows on the other side and then take the battle to them.

This monochromatic world around Frisk was often referred to as the shadow world. It was a dark parody of reality, not merely bled of color but also of form. Where buildings stood in the real world, in this world they may be rubble or dark void. The sky was always pitch black, providing no luminescence yet this world was always uniformly lit. A shadow world that lacked shadows, for there was no light in this world even as all was perfectly visible. A world that worked on entirely different physical principles.

Stepping out from the alcove in the shadow world, Frisk took stock of their surroundings. The alleyway still stood, if only by technicality. Although the walls of the alcove had appeared to be undamaged, the same could not be said of the buildings that surrounded it here. Rubble and wreckage was strewn all about the burnt out shells that formed the edge of the CBD in True Home. The roads were full of holes and covered in debris from cars, buildings and other objects. Frisk wasn’t entirely sure what the twisted metal they saw was from but somehow it gave them chills. This whole scene gave them chills. It was as if they were seeing an alternate future, albeit one broadcast in black and white.

They heard a crash behind them and spun around, instinctively reaching for their soul in preparation for a magical attack. They stopped instantly, as they took in what they saw.

“WOWIE, I DIDN’T KNOW THERE WAS THIS WHOLE AREA THROUGH THAT WALL. OR HOW THERE COULD BE SUCH A LARGE SPACE INSIDE SUCH A THIN WALL. I’M AMAZED AT HOW WELL YOU KNOW OUR CITY ALREADY, HUMAN, TO FIND THIS PLACE.”

Staring at Papyrus, Frisk’s arms hung limply at their sides. They’d been surprised by many things today but this was far greater than the rest. How had he even…

“Papyrus, you’re not supposed to be here!” they shouted, the words bursting from their mouth before they could stop themself.

An uncomfortable silence followed their outburst. They knew immediately they had made a mistake. Their hands hadn’t moved and yet they had spoken. Experience had long since taught them that letting others see them speak in the shadow world without their usual magical trick was a mistake. That what should have been noiseless rasping from their mouth instead formed coherent words here and only here. Only a fool wouldn’t be suspicious of somebody who could speak in this twisted world but not in reality.

“I SEE YOU ARE STILL CONTINUING WITH YOUR BRAVE ACT IN AN ATTEMPT TO PROTECT ME,” Papyrus said, straightening himself up from where he had fallen to the ground in the alcove and brushing himself off. “THERE IS NO NEED, FOR I HOLD BRAVERY FIT FOR A FUTURE ROYAL GUARDSMAN.”

Frisk wasn’t sure what surprised them more. The way Papyrus dismissed their concern and abrasiveness or the fact he had completely failed to realize there was anything strange about the fact they were now speaking with their mouth rather than with their hands. They rubbed the bridge of their nose as they considered their next move.

While they were lost in their thoughts, Papyrus strode out of the alcove and looked around. “I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT IT LOOKED LIKE WE HAD ENTERED A BLACK AND WHITE MIRROR OF THE CITY, AS THAT IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN THERE, BUT THIS DOES NOT LOOK VERY MIRROR-LIKE AT ALL. UNLESS THERE IS A MIRROR THAT MAKES WHAT IS BEING REFLECTED LOOK LIKE IT HAS BEEN DESTROYED. THAT WOULD BE A TERRIBLE INVENTION IF IT EXISTED.”

Frisk looked up as Papyrus paused and saw him looking down at them with concern. “THIS ISN’T THAT, IS IT? AS THAT WOULD BE VERY AWKWARD.”

“No, this isn’t a mirror world. This is the shadow world, as most humans call it. Shadow demons come from here. Or through here. We’re not entirely sure if they’re actually from here and there are strong theories to suggest they are not.” Frisk again noted that Papyrus seemed to almost frown in reaction to the use of the term ‘demon’.

“A SHADOW WORLD? I SUPPOSE THAT MAKES SENSE. IF I HAD TO LIVE IN A PLACE AS DEPRESSING AS THIS I WOULD WANT TO LEAVE TOO. FORTUNATELY, I DO NOT.” Then Papyrus seemed to catch the last part and added, “WAIT, IF THEY ARE NOT FROM HERE THEN WHY DO THEY COME THROUGH HERE? WHY IS IT THE SHADOW WORLD IF IT IS NOT FOR SHADOWS?”

Shrugging, Frisk subtly drew on their magic in order to orient themself. It was always tricky navigating in here - that a strong shadow presence could be felt in reality did not mean they were necessarily close to the entrance, merely that they were closer to this entrance than any other. Distance meant little here in relation to the real world.

Feeling the presence of shadows in a particular direction, Frisk began to make their way through the rubble of this shadow version of True Home while answering Papyrus, “I don’t know where they come from but they don’t appear to live here. It’s not really possible to live here. There’s no food, water or energy of any sort. Even the world itself changes over time, distorting and changing. Rather, it’s suggested that this is a world between worlds, that’s not really a world at all. More like where the shadows of two worlds overlap. That’s why it appears like a mockery of our world - True Home may only exist in one world, so perhaps the shadow from the other world is distorting it to appear differently here.

“This is the shadow between worlds,” they explain, before shrugging. “Or perhaps not. It’s only a theory and really only for interest. Nobody has ever found anything that appears to be an entrance to another world from here.”

“I DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF THIS BEING TRUE HOME. OUR CITY IS CONSIDERABLY MORE MAGNIFICENT. FOR ONE, IT IS NOT A RUIN. WE LEFT THOSE BEHIND UNDERGROUND. ALSO, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT LACK OF ENORMOUS VOIDS OF BLACK NOTHINGNESS, WHICH I FEEL IS OF CONSIDERABLE BENEFIT TO KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE GOING.”

Enormous void of black nothingness was an apt enough description for what they were seeing. No more than a city block away from the alcove the world simply appeared to end. Where there had been the monochrome hues of the ruins of True Home previously, all ended in a pitch-black void that blended into the sky itself. This world was tricky like that - what one saw was often just an illusion. From the alcove, the entire city appeared to be ruins but as one approached it faded into nothing. But not entirely - Frisk had been guided here as they sensed shadows, which meant there must be a way forward.

Pointing to their right, Frisk redirected Papyrus’ attention to a solitary door that appeared to hang at the edge of the void. “Through that door we’ll likely find the next segment of this place.You’ll get used to this over time. Or perhaps you won’t. I think you may actually be the first monster to ever come in here and monsterkind has done well so far to avoid this nightmarish place.”

“I SEE,” Papyrus said in a way that made it clear how little he did see.

The two walked through that door, and then another door at the end of the hallway that opened into. They found themselves back where they began, inside the alcove. Or so it appeared.

“ **Vagehqref. V urne gurz,** ” something said from the alleyway, spouting the auditory garbage that was common to shadow demons.

They were close, which meant there was very little time to surprise them before Frisk and Papyrus were found.

Taking a moment to focus, Frisk reached for their soul within themself. It reacted strongly to their call, the blanket of darkness they had felt on the other side no longer stifling their attempts to call on magic. Reaching inside their very essence, they then shifted their thought process. They thought of all the innocent people just outside this alleyway in reality, monsters and humans, who had no idea of how much danger they were truly in. They thought of the fact that they were the only chance they had. They thought of all of those who had fallen to shadows. Who would fall. Who didn’t deserve to fall.

They thought of those who deserved justice, and with that in mind, Frisk channeled magic into their body. Power flowed through their veins, enough to make them feel as if they could shatter the walls around them with their bare hands. Yellow magic, the human ability to empower their physical shell, flowed through Frisk.

Providing no warning to Papyrus, Frisk leapt up and over the wall that separated the alcove from the alleyway. As they came down on the other side they saw the shadows. A pack at each end of the alleyway. A handful of smaller shadows, like wispy ink-balls, floated above four-legged beast-like shadows. Tier zero shadows, Frisk realized, but quite a few of them. Even the weakest of shadows were dangerous in numbers. The wisps hit with the force of a well-thrown fastball and had teeth like a buzz-saw and the beasts had a powerful leap that could shatter bone on impact.

Taking on both packs at once was out of the question, so Frisk could only hope that Papyrus would defend himself as ably as a monster could or they wouldn’t spot him. That hope was answered a moment later by the skeleton’s loud voice.

“HUMAN, I SHALL KEEP THESE SHADOWS BUSY WITH MY BULLETS WHILE YOU FIND SAFETY. REMEMBER THAT MY MAGIC-” Papyrus’ voice was cut-off by the screeching sounds of the wisps as they began their charge. From what Frisk had heard, it sounded like he hadn’t yet realized they were a mage. Well, that would change soon.

Turning their thoughts to something useful, Frisk dove to the ground in a roll as the two wisps charged at them, causing them to miss and overshoot. The beasts were preparing to lunge, but a quick glance confirmed they were too far to reach in a single bound. Plenty of time.

Wisps were small and extremely vulnerable to magic. There was no need to use anything complicated here. Reaching inside their soul, Frisk formed magic using a brief thought of their drive to remain above the greed of so many other mages. Rising up in a crouch, they flicked their wrist at the wisps. A flash of blue magic from their fingertips and brief moment of focus was all that was then necessary. The wisps were caught by surprise and disintegrated into shimmering white light as a magical force equivalent to a sledgehammer blow struck their bodies. The only tricky part about blue magic was making sure that the force was generated against the target - otherwise all that would have done was make the wisp fly backwards, as if turning gravity to one side.

A cracking sound had them spinning, and they saw one of the beasts rising up from the concrete they had just landed on. It was already ready for another lunge, its unnaturally strong muscles further cracking the concrete beneath it. No time to use magic, but then Frisk had already used some earlier.

Shifting to one side to dodge the lunge, Frisk throw a hard left at the same time. The air crackled around their fist as the magic they had infused into their body empowered the punch. The beast screeched as the blow struck a foreleg. The leg blasted off, losing form the instant it separated and exploding into white light upon impact with the ground. Howling filled the alleyway, making Frisk wish they had earplugs so it didn’t feel as though someone was scraping out their eardrums. Another whoosh of air passed in front of them as the other beast missed its mark and the howling ceased briefly as it collided with the other beast, the two rolling into a messy heap.

Without missing a beat, Frisk charged forward, the magic in their body automatically redirected to their legs. A hard kick upwards into the two entangled shadows resulted in a heap of inky globs flying through the alleyway and then more light as they struck the ground.

It had been fast and efficient, which was simple to do against such low tier shadows. Still, Frisk was worried for Papyrus. They looked down the alleyway to check.

What they saw caused their breath to catch in their throat.

Papyrus stood in a battle-ready pose but his expression was that of loss and confusion. Around him were screeching shadow demons and shimmering light. A wisp crawling on the ground by his feet, unable to fly. A pair of beasts with missing legs that still attempted to lunge at Papyrus, losing their balance each time they did and flinging themselves futilely to the side. Another beast sat just in front of Papyrus, untouched and ready to lunge. Between them was a stationary blue bone, as tall as the skeleton.

“SHADOW FRIEND…” they heard Papyrus say softly, his voice strained.

Frisk reached for their magic immediately, afraid for their new friend. The shadow lunged. Papyrus stared at the blue bone in front of him.

The beast exploded into an inky mess on contact with the blue bone, that mess in turn bursting into light upon striking the ground. The color of the world almost made it look as though the beast had simply vanished, the light that marked its remnants almost invisible against the monochrome backdrop.

Releasing their magic, Frisk approached Papyrus slowly. He turned to face them, his expression tight.

“MY MAGIC… IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THIS. MY ATTACK ISN’T THAT HIGH.”

Frisk kept their expression guarded as they reached out and place their hand on Papyrus’ arm. They had wondered about his innocence regarding shadows. Why he had disliked the term ‘demon’ earlier. Why he seemed to think his job was to capture or contain shadows.

Placing a hand over Frisk’s, Papyrus looked out at the dying shadows silently.

Their next spell came effortlessly to them, without even an active need to reach for their soul. Their determination to help their friend come to terms with reality, to help them through this any way they can, filled their heart. Frisk’s body seemed to pulse red for a moment and the howling ceased in the next moment. The remaining shadows had gone still, held in stasis by binding magic.

“This is why monsters don’t need to worry about shadows,” Frisk said quietly, now that silence had fallen over the scene. “Magic, no matter how weak or strong, is highly damaging to shadows. Monsters, who are made of magic and whose bullet patterns are pure expressions of that magic, are the natural enemy of shadows. This is what the royal guard is for - to defend the rest of the city from this.”

“THEY JUST ATTACKED US. WHY DID THEY NOT STOP? EVEN WITH THE BLUE BONES IN THE WAY, THEY DID NOT STOP. THEY DID NOT HELP EACH OTHER.”

Ignoring the despair deep in their stomach over having tainted Papyrus’ innocence by allowing them to follow them here, Frisk tried their best to assuage him, “If whatever became these shadow demons felt love or kindness or hope, then it is long gone. They only exist for one purpose - to take souls and become stronger. They need to be stopped, the only way they can be.”

“ONE OF THE SMALL FLYING ONES. IT BARELY TOUCHED ME, IGNORING MY WARNING AFTER I… AFTER THE OTHER ONE…” Papyrus’ voice trailed off again, his mind clearly visualizing what had likely happened when one of the wisps had touched one of his magic attacks. “IT WAS SO SMALL BUT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH TOOK ONE HP. IF EVEN THAT WAS DAMAGING, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF…”

The two of them remained silent for some time, their hands together. After a short while, Papyrus removed his hand from Frisk’s and turned away from the shadow demons who remained trapped in stasis. His grin was back in place, if noticeably smaller than before.

 

 

Little more was said as the two made their way to the next segment, Frisk’s magic guiding them to a much larger and stronger shadow presence. They had offered to guide Papyrus back to the exit, only to be rebuffed by his pride. This may not have been what he had envisioned being a royal guard was about, but his spirit was still there and he refused to abandon them. Just as he had earlier, although now he knew the truth of why Frisk was warding him away.

The next door they opened led them into what appeared to be a large set of offices. Albeit, offices with rather strange equipment and walls that looked much sturdier than such a building would need. It looked nothing like anything Frisk had seen in the mage colleges or offices in New York, but they knew very little of what monsters might do in True Home. Papyrus looked around them with an odd look on his face, as though he knew where he was. As he said nothing, Frisk let him be. Where they were wasn’t important - they weren’t really in that location. The less one thought about their surroundings in this place, the better.

The shadow presence was thick here, almost overwhelming. This must be where the swarm was gathered. Fortunately, without the effects of another world bleeding into this one their vision and magical abilities were not hampered. It was merely unsettling, to know there was so much danger so close by. They also could not tell how many shadows there might be or how dangerous. The most they knew was that there wasn’t a tier three present. They had felt that once before, the choking feeling of such a powerful presence. At worst, there were some tier two shadows here.

Glancing at Papyrus, who was still noticeably unsettled, Frisk wondered if they should stop here and draw on their ultimate weapon. They could feel the shadows were close and it wouldn’t be that hard to potentially draw them here with loud noises. On the other hand, if not all the shadows were nearby or the ploy failed then they would have blown their trump card uselessly. They weren’t talented enough yet to draw it out more than once without resting and it took time and focus.

No, the cost of failure was too high. Judging by the power of the presence here, there was too high of a chance of souls being consumed by shadows if they escaped into the real world. Once that happened… No, it wouldn’t happen so they wouldn’t think of it.

The two of them passed through another room set out much the same as the one they had entered first, but with different equipment. An enormous pit lay along one side of the room, with what appeared to be a large hoist hanging above it and many free-hanging cables. What that apparatus could be for was beyond them, but they were beginning to get the feeling they were in some form of research or manufacturing facility now. That meant the layout could change dramatically in future rooms, which added a level of unpredictability they didn’t need.

“FRISK, IS THAT…” Papyrus said, once the two of them entered the next room.

Frisk nodded in return, looking up at where they could see many shadows congregating. They were inside a shaft, with multiple levels of catwalks, stairs and a lift through the center. The air was abuzz with the garbage that seemed to pass as the language of the shadows. There were at least a dozen of them, and one was large enough to make Frisk very nervous. Definitely a tier two.

“I’ll get up higher and engage them from above. Can you cover from below?” they asked, looking Papyrus in his eye sockets. If he didn’t realise…

There was a brief staring contest between the two of them, as Papyrus’ grin dropped away at the thought of another battle like earlier.

“SHOULD WE NOT GO TOGETHER? THE ROYAL GUARD PRACTICES TEAMWORK,” he said, his voice quiet but still holding that particular quality of his that gave the listener the feeling they were being shouted at.

“We haven’t trained together, Papyrus. You’re strong - I could see that from the earlier battle - so we should separate in such a large fight.”

They weren’t strictly lying. Papyrus had seemed unhurt from earlier, which was very impressive for a first encounter with five shadows, even if they were of the weakest type. It’s just that wasn’t the real reason Frisk felt the two of them should separate. The shadows were after souls and one of them had a much more powerful soul. Opening their mouth to nudge Papyrus again, they were interrupted.

“ **Sbhaq lbh.** ”

Their magic came to them, unbidden. Two thoughts entwined with one another. The determination to protect their friend and the will to stand in the face of so much danger despite gaining so little. Frisk’s hand snapped up, pulsing with both red and blue light. The shadow had come through the doorway behind them, although they did not know how. The entire structure around the doorway exploded into dust and shards as it was struck with the super-charged blast of magical force, but the shadow had already leapt away.

A chittering sort of laughter could be heard from the bulbous demon. It was the same one that had attempted to jump Frisk when they had first begun searching. They had suspected it was a tier two, but now knew for certain. It was far too fast.

There was roaring and howling above them now, followed by a burst of shadow down through the catwalks above them. Frisk pushed Papyrus to one side even as they leapt away, acting purely on instinct. That burst of shadow crashed into the ground where they had been and bounced back up to hover in mid-air, reforming itself into a misshapen but vaguely human form about the size of a small child. It seem to cackle in a tongue even stranger than the usual one of shadows.

Make that three tier two shadows, Frisk corrected. This was rapidly getting too hot for them to handle. They had known that charging into a swarm or nest without first gauging its strength was dangerous, yet they had let Papyrus come along as well. Now they were going to pay the ultimate price. If they had time, they could draw on their trump card and end it all now but they’d missed their chance earlier. Now, with so many shadows nearby they would be dead before they could use it. There was only one real way to salvage this.

“Papyrus, run,” they said, pointing at the exit doorway they had blown to pieces. “I’ll hold them here and catch up.”

“WE ARE A TEAM, PRACTICE OR NOT. I SHALL NOT RUN, FOR I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, FUTURE ROYAL GUARDSMAN,” Papyrus shouted in return, his volume kicked up a notch from merely very loud to almost deafening. “PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR MY SPECIAL ATTACK!”

Whatever Papyrus’ special attack was, your thoughts were instead caught by a very peculiar sensation. Magic seemed to pulse from Papyrus, exerting an odd pull on Frisk. It was vaguely familiar but different at same time. A red light seemed to pulse in front of Frisk’s body and they looked down.

Right there, in front of their chest, was a pulsing wisp of light in the shape of a red heart. The very culmination of Frisk’s being, their soul.

“I forgot monsters could do that,” Frisk said, their voice sounding distant even to themself.

With the advent of the shadow demon threat the physical existence of the soul was proven in the most terrifying way. A race of beings that ripped a human’s soul from their body and then ate it for sustenance and power.The nature of their powers had cemented a very simple fact in the minds of humans - to have one’s soul pulled outside one’s body was to die. A shadow demon could reach out, snatch it into their mouth and that was the end. No matter one’s skill as a mage or whatever wards one was protected by, death awaited them.

At least, that was what mages wanted everybody to think.

Frisk’s hands hovered at either side of their soul and it pulsed in reaction to them. It was always a surreal feeling, to have your very essence hovering in front of your body. They suspected they would never get used to it.

Looking up, they could see that all the shadows had frozen. They were all staring at Frisk, or at their soul to be precise, and their eyes would no doubt shine greedily if they had eyes. Their prize was in front of them, and it was even a red soul.

Papyrus looked to be at a loss, “MY MISTAKE, FRISK, I HAD NOT MEANT TO DRAW OUT YOUR SOUL.”

Smiling in return, Frisk said, “It’s alright. Now do me a favor and don’t move. This won’t take long.”

Whatever was said in response was lost to Frisk as they mentally dove into their soul, drawing on the absolute depths of its power. Their determination to save Papyrus, to save themselves, to stop these shadows from harming so many innocents, thrummed in their mind. They drew that power out and steeled themselves mentally for the next step. They could only do this once and it would take all of their strength. They knew the steps, knew they were brave enough. That would be enough.

Pulling their hands apart from their soul, a great inferno built around them from that pulsing red light. As they stretched their arms out to either side the inferno twisted further around them and grew in size. Shadows screeched as the flames licked at them in every corner of the room, their bodies turning to light at a single touch. The shadow world itself was melting in the face of such sheer magical force, color bleeding into this otherwise monochrome world. Frisk’s vision swam.

With one last look before their vision faded out entirely, Frisk could see Papyrus amidst the flames. He was standing perfectly still, exactly as he had been, trusting in Frisk more than anybody else ever had. Like no person should of somebody they had only just met today.

The world was consumed by fire and all went dark.


End file.
